My Thoughts: The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

Everything is made of steel, even the flowers. How can you love anything in a place like this?

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped - and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie's whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.




**ARC received by Penguin Canada**


Before I talk about this book and what I thought about it. Lets talk about this gorgeous cover. I mean really, it's beautiful! I love it. Kudos to the design team for coming up with this one. It's truly magnificent.



Brenna Yovanoff is fairly well known for her debut novel The Replacement. Loads of people have read it and loved it. However, I have not read it and it was because so many people were talking about that The Replacement that I became even more curious about Yovanoff's writing. So, when I was presented with the opportunity to read The Space Between I jumped on the chance. This book took me FOREVER to read. I started to read it shortly after I received it, which was the beginning of October and have only finished it now. It took me so long to read for two reasons. 1.) I am a student, and life as a student got so incredibly busy for just as I started reading The Space Between. I barely had time to sleep, never mind read. and, 2.) It took me a while to get into the book. I found the beginning a little slow and sometimes confusing, and to my sleep depraved mind that was not something I enjoyed. In saying that, I did not dislike this book. The writing was beautiful, the characters were strong and well developed, I think it was the plot that I had the most trouble with.


Its no secret that Brenna Yovanoff is a beautiful writer. She can string words together that you wouldn't think to put together and make them sound so eloquent and classy. I loved that about this book. The writing flowed so well. The detail that went into her descriptions of everything was amazing. I had absolutely no trouble picturing everything she mentioned. It was really fabulous. I loved the emotions that her characters went through, the discoveries the made within themselves were awesome, and enlightening.


I loved Truman. I did. Even at his lowest Truman was one of the best male protagonists that I have ever had the pleasure to read. He never felt sorry for himself, despite his desire to die. I never once got the 'woe is me" vibe. He knew he was unhappy, and that he did not want to be unhappy anymore. Truman was straight forward and honest (he did sometimes omit truths). He was pathetic, and he did not lead an easy life. But I never got annoyed with his character. I loved how he cared for Daphne, and when he realized that he cared more for her then he thought, he didn't try and deny it. It was just fact and he accepted that. Daphne was a funny character. I have never read anything from the perspective of a demon before, and it was difficult in the beginning to really relate to her. This was why it took me a little while to get into the story. I couldn't relate to Daphne. I liked her, but her world and her thought process were not things I have considered in my life. It wasn't until she had her mission and had found Truman that things began to make more sense to me and I began to enjoy the story more.


The plot. I didn't realize going into this that I would be so uncomfortable with reading something that starred demons, and the child of Lucifer. However every time it was mentioned that Daphne was the daughter of Lucifer it would set me off. I was ok with hell, and Lilith and the old "legends", I was even some what ok with Beelzebub, but Lucifer, the devil- no way. When he made an appearance at the end of the novel, that really disturbed me. I can't pin point exactly why, or what it was that bothered me, all I know was that it did. It was this that made it the most difficult for me to read this book, and why it took me so long. I wasn't sure in the beginning if I was going to continue reading. My hang ups were limiting me.


I also was confused about the Azrael issue. I was never super clear about who he was- I knew he was an angel, but that's about it. Was he a fallen angel, or a servant of God? What was he role? Also when the mystery behind Truman's dreams was revealed I was even more confused. Also, Daphne's role in that, and why she was there was never fully explained. I found that perhaps there were a few plot holes that needed a bit more filling in. Obie's wife and why Azrael was doing what he was doing for instance.


Overall, I enjoyed The Space Between. There were a few things that I had issues with, however, there were also things that I really enjoyed. For those who don't have the hang ups I do about the devil, I think you'll really enjoy this book, it's beautifully written, and the two protagonists are awesome. The Space Between is due to hit shelves tomorrow, Nov 15th.



~Happy Reading Everyone!